1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a waterproof connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
A known waterproof connector has a housing with at least one cavity capable of accommodating a male terminal fitting. A collective type rubber plug is disposed on the rear of the housing and has an electric wire insertion hole aligned with the cavity. The rubber plug is held by a holder mounted in contact with the rear surface of the rubber plug. The holder has a through-hole corresponding to both the cavity of the housing and the electric wire insertion hole of the rubber plug. The male terminal fitting is inserted into the through-hole of the holder, through the electric wire insertion hole of the rubber plug and into the cavity of the housing. A connector with a collective type rubber plug is shown in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-203902
The male terminal fitting of the above-described connector could be inserted obliquely into the through-hole. Hence, there is a possibility that a tab at the front end of the male terminal fitting could strike against the inner surface of the electric wire insertion hole and damage the rubber plug.
The present applicant proposed the connector disclosed in Japanese Patent Appl. No. 2001-148700 in an effort to solve the above referenced problem. This connector positions the holder rearward of the rubber plug while inserting the male terminal fitting into the cavity. The inner surface of the through-hole guides the body of the male terminal fitting and corrects the posture of the male terminal fitting before the front end of the tab thereof reaches the rubber plug. The holder then is pressed into a position where the holder contacts the rubber plug. Therefore it is possible to hold the rubber plug securely and make the connector compact.
An operator may conclude that the male terminal fitting was inserted incorrectly or inserted into the wrong cavity, and may remove the male terminal fitting from the cavity before pressing the holder to the position where the holder contacts the rubber plug. In this state, the rubber plug is not held down by the holder. Thus there is a possibility that the male terminal fitting removal operation causes the rubber plug to be dislocated rearward.
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problem. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to prevent dislocation of a rubber plug in removing a terminal fitting from a cavity.
The present invention relates to a waterproof connector with a housing that has a plurality of cavities and a male terminal fitting mounted in each cavity. Each male terminal fitting has a relatively thick body and a relatively thin tab that projects forward from the body. A collective-type rubber plug is disposed on a rear surface of the connector housing, and is capable of closely contacting a periphery of each of the male terminal fittings. The plug also has a plurality of electric wire insertion holes corresponding to the cavities respectively. The connector also includes a holder with a plurality of terminal insertion holes that correspond respectively to the electric wire insertion holes. The plug can be held in the connector housing at a temporary locking position disposed rearward from a rear surface of the rubber plug and a main locking position disposed forward from the temporary locking position.
The male terminal fittings are inserted into the cavities through the terminal insertion holes of the holder and the electric wire insertion holes of the plug, while the holder is held at the temporary locking position. The posture of each of the male terminal fitting is corrected during the terminal insertion process by fitting the body part of each terminal fitting in the corresponding terminal insertion hole of the holder. The holder is moved from the temporary locking position to the main locking position after the male terminal fittings are inserted into the respective cavities. The housing has a rubber plug hold-down member that is separate from the holder and that prevents the rubber plug from moving freely rearward when the holder is at the temporary locking position.
The rubber plug hold-down member preferably is a substantially flat plate and is aligned substantially perpendicular to an insertion direction of the male terminal fittings. Thus, a front surface of the rubber plug hold-down member holds down the rear surface of the rubber plug. A reinforcing rib preferably projects from the rear surface of the rubber plug hold-down member, and an escape cavity is formed on the holder for accommodating the rib.
According to the above construction, the male terminal fitting is inserted into the terminal insertion hole of the holder while the holder is held at the temporary locking position. Thus, the posture of the male terminal fitting is corrected by the terminal insertion hole of the holder and it is possible to prevent the tab from sticking into the rubber plug.
The holder is pressed forward and held at the main locking position after the male terminal fitting has been inserted. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce the dimension from the front end surface of the housing to the rear end surface of the holder.
The rubber plug hold-down member prevents the collective-type rubber plug from moving freely rearward. More particularly, an operator may insert the male terminal fitting into the cavity with the holder held at the temporary locking position and then may pull out the male terminal fitting before moving the holder to the main locking position. However, rubber plug hold-down member prevents the rubber plug from moving rearward together with the male terminal fitting.
The flat plate shape of the rubber plug hold-down member reduces the space for mounting the rubber plug hold-down member. Thus, the housing has a short longitudinal dimension. The flat shape also makes the rubber plug hold-down member weak, and creates a possibility that the rubber plug hold-down member will undergo a bending deformation. However, the reinforcing rib gives the rubber plug hold-down member the necessary strength to prevent deformation.
The escape cavity on the holder accommodates the rib when the holder is pressed into the main locking position. Thus, it is possible to mount the holder on the rubber plug hold-down member, with the holder in substantially close contact with the rubber plug hold-down member. Accordingly it is possible to reduce the dimension from the front end surface of the housing to the rear end surface of the holder.